The Porsche Type 997 (Type Nine-Nine-Seven), also simply called the 997 (Nine-Nine-Seven) is the current version of the 911 sports car built by German manufacturer Porsche in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. Production of the Carrera and Carrera S coupés began in early 2005, all-wheel drive Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S versions began shipping in November 2005, Turbo and GT3 derivatives went on sale in late 2006 and the 911 GT2 in 2007. In addition to the coupe and cabriolet versions, Targa versions of the Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S are available, which carry on with the "glass canopy" roof design used on all Targa 911s since the Type 993 Generation 911.

During 2009 Porsche made comprehensive changes to the 997 lineup which included small styling changes, increases in engine displacement across the board, the addition of gasoline direct injection and the introduction of the company's new "PDK" dual clutch transmission as well as other mechanical changes. As a result, the updated 997 models are faster, lighter and more fuel efficient than the outgoing versions and have somewhat better handling. In the case of the 997 Turbo, a comprehensively re-tuned all wheel drive system with an optional "torque vectoring" system was also a part of the upgrades package; in an October 2009 preliminary review, Car and Driver magazine estimated that when equipped with the PDK transmission, the updated Turbo should be capable of going from 0 to 60 miles per hour in three (3.0) seconds flat. As of December 2009, the 911 GT2 was the only variant in the 997 lineup not to have received any changes or upgrades.

The 997 is the most commercially successful 911 of all time, having sold 100,000 units between its introduction in 2005 and July of 2007. It has also received mostly positive reviews from the worldwide motoring press; even British motoring journalist Jeremy Clarkson, a known detractor of Porsche vehicles, noted that the 997 will "make love to your fingertips and stir your soul."[1]

First generation

Design

While the exterior styling is changed—in fact, the 997 Carrera S and Carrera 4S models share only their roof panels with their predecessor, the 996—it is again more evolution than revolution, typical of Porsche and the Carrera. Jeremy Clarkson has often voiced the opinion that Porsche has "the laziest design team in the world" due to the almost unnoticeable change in external appearance between the 997 and earlier models. The most notable difference between the 997 and the predecessor 996 is the return to circular headlights, like those of pre-996 Carreras, with separate indicator units. The interior has been almost entirely re-invented and all the controls are new; however, it is more reminiscent of classic 911 interiors than of the outgoing 996. The body in general remains low profile with a drag coefficient of 0.29 for the Carrera and .30 for the Carrera S.

According to testing carried out by several American automotive publications, the Turbo model can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in about 3.4 seconds with an automatic transmission and 3.5 seconds with the manual transmission. The Carrera S model is capable of going 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 4.7 seconds, and carries a top speed of 300 km/h (190 mph), while the base Carrera model has 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) acceleration in 4.8 seconds, with a top speed of 180 mph (290 km/h). Note, however, that these figures contradict the conservative official Porsche figures.

The viscous clutch all wheel drive system (997.1) sends between 5% and 40% of engine torque to the front wheels as needed.

Cabriolet

For the first time, development of the cabriolet version of the 997 led the design and engineering effort at Porsche with the coupe following. Porsche applied the logic that if you started with the more difficult cabriolet challenges (for chassis stiffness) the coupe version would simply be that much more rigid. Despite additional weight, the cabriolet versions attain nearly the same performance figures as their coupe counterparts. Even the rear tail comes up slightly higher on the cabriolets to compensate for differences in drag over the canvas top vs. the smoother coupe shape.

2006 Carrera S Cabriolet in Blue Turquoise (Paint To Sample.)

911 Club Coupe (2005)

It is a limited (50 units) version of 2006MY Carrera S coupe with X51 Powerkit commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Porsche Club of America (PCA).[2][3]

The vehicle includes Azurro California-colored body (from Porsche 356), a vehicle identification number (VIN) which ends with the production number and special commemorative badging and door sills which adorn the interior, Sport Chrono Package Plus system, optional Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes.

The car #1 was transferred to the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart, Germany and one PCA member won the car #50 in a sweepstakesdrawing. The remaining 48 units were sold to randomly chosen U.S. and Canadian PCA members. After 2005-08-15, unsold units were made available to the general public.

The vehicle was unveiled in PCA's 50th Annual Porsche Parade in Hershey, Pa.

The vehicle has MSRP of $99,911 US and $145,911 CDN.[4]

Targa

The Targa 4 and Targa 4S versions, like the Porsche 911 Targa of the 993 and 996 generations, are equipped with a glass roof and hatch. At any speed, the roof can be opened where it drops down an inch and slides a metre back underneath the hatch. As the roof weighs an additional 60 kg (132 lb) the suspension has been modified from Carrera models. When the glass roof is retracted, a small glass deflector above the windshield is raised to aid in aerodynamic stability.

Unlike previous versions of the Porsche 911 Targa, the Porsche 997 Targa 4 and Targa 4S have an all-wheel-drive drivetrain, hence the "4" in the name. The naming is to fit in with the naming trend of other Porsche models, namely the Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S, whose "4" in the names are also due to their all-wheel drive systems. Targa 4 models are slightly slower than the hard top Carrera models because the heavier roof and all-wheel-drive drivetrain increases the weight and the inertia associated with acceleration.

GT3

2006 Porsche 997 GT3 at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show

Porsche 997 GT3 RSR

The 997 GT3 model also debuted in Geneva in 2006. Like previous GT3 models, it is a way for Porsche to homologate aerodynamic features for racing, as well as a starting model for customer racing. The 997 GT3 was priced at US$106,000. The engine has the same displacement as the Turbo, but without turbocharger and uses a new variable intake system. The engine is rated at 435 PS (320 kW; 429 hp) and 405 N·m (299 lb·ft)[5]. It has an 8400 rpm redline which is the same as the 612 bhp (456 kW; 620 PS) Carrera GT's. The 3.6L dry-sump engine does not seem to share the rear main seal (RMS) problems of the earliest 3.6L/3.8L semi-dry-sump engines.

The GT3 body includes a special front bumper which increases cooling for the front-mounted radiators as well as a split spoiler at the rear. The GT3 also includes a special rear bumper and center tailpipes which draw heat away from the engine. It is lowered and rides on 30-series 305mm (12 in) tires on 19in (483mm) wheels. The car weighs 3075 lb (1395 kg).

The 997 GT3 is more driver-friendly than its predecessor, with "comfort" seats and the Porsche Communication Management system installed.

The special RS model[6] came without most of these luxuries out to focus more on track-oriented driving (although the car is still road-legal). The package also included a full rollcage and carbon fiber seats to add to that race-car-for-the-road feel. The RS version was released in Europe in October 2006; the North American release was in March 2007.[7] A racing version of the GT3 RS debuted in 2007, and it was called the 997 GT3 RSR.

The ratios on the six-speed transmission are more aggressive, allowing the GT3 to hit 60 mph (97 km/h) in 4.1 seconds, while the RS accomplishes the same in 4 flat. It will continue to 100 mph (160 km/h) in 9.2 seconds and has an ungoverned top speed of 310 km/h (190 mph).

Turbo

The 997 Turbo debuted in February 2006 at the Geneva Motor Show. It has a new front bumper with turn signals which are LED lights in a horizontal bar through the air intake. The fog lights are moved to the corners of the bumpers. Large air intakes in front of and behind the rear wheels are other obvious visual cues. The retractable rear wing is also one of the highlights, a feature which has been available on the 996 Turbo as well.

The BorgWarner's Variable Turbine Geometry (VTG), first variable geometry turbines introduced to street Porsche 911 cars, uses guide vanes located in front of the turbine wheel that modulates inflow angle and speed. Variable geometry turbines were previously only available to diesel engined vehicles, but a similar approach was used successfully by Garrett starting in 1989 with the Shelby CSX that utilized a computer controlled variable nozzles instead.

2009 Porsche 997 Turbo in Carrara White

The optional Sport Chrono package allows 911 Turbo to overboost for 10 seconds, increasing peak torque over a narrow rev range. According to official Porsche figures, it accelerates 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.9 seconds with the manual transmission, and 3.7 seconds with Tiptronic S transmission. It has also recorded a 60 mph (97 km/h) time of 3.2 seconds at the hands of US motoring publication Motor Trend, eclipsing all of its major competitors and even Porsche's own Carrera GT supercar. The 997 Turbo has an official top speed of 318 km/h (198 mph) and Jeremy Clarkson getting up to an indicated speed of 322 km/h (200 mph) during his 2008 video special,Clarkson: Thriller.

Turbo Cabriolet

Porsche AG announced on May 7, 2007 that the 911 Turbo Cabriolet would go on sale in September 2007. The Porsche 997 Turbo Cabriolet is one of the fastest convertible sports cars in production. It is capable of reaching similar top speeds, and acceleration, of the standard Porsche 997 Turbo Coupe. This is considered an astonishing feat because usually the convertible version of cars are much slower than the hardtop variant, due to its slightly less stable aerodynamics associated with its soft roof, and its extra weight caused by the structural reinforcements made necessary by the absence of B and C pillars.

GT2

2007 Porsche 997 GT2

This is the most powerful and fastest road-going 911 GT2 ever to be sold to the public.[8] The Porsche 996 911 GT2 was superseded by the 997-generation GT2, on sale since November 2007.

The 997 GT2 has a twin turbocharged 3.6 litre 6-cylinder engine[8] based on 997 Turbo but Porsche achieved power increase through completely newly designed expansion intake manifold in which the distributor pipe is longer than in Turbo and the intake manifolds are shorter, a full titanium silencer is used also in GT2, even though the Porsche 911 (997) Carrera S variant has a slightly larger engine at 3.8 litres. Despite the power hike, Porsche claims fuel consumption at full throttle is improved by 15 percent compared with the Turbo.[8]The GT2 accelerates in 3.6 seconds to 60 mph (97 km/h) and in 7.4 seconds to 100 mph (160 km/h) and has top speed of 329 km/h (204 mph). This makes it the first Porsche 911 GT2 to exceed the 200 mph (320 km/h) top speed after the 1998 Porsche 911 GT1 Race Version (which is not considered an actual Porsche 911 due to its mid-mounted engine and it only saw roads for homologation purposes). The Porsche 997 GT2 has a curb weight of 1,440 kg (3,200 lb). The only transmission choice is a 6-speed manual gearbox.

The GT2 is the first Porsche equipped with launch control.[8]

Its appearance is slightly different from its sister-car, the Porsche 911 (997) Turbo, in a few ways. It does not have fog lights in the front bumper, it has a revised front lip, it has a larger rear wing (with two small air scoops on either side), and it has a different rear bumper (now featuring titanium exhaust pipes).

Note: 0-60 mph acceleration times refer to the time taken to reach 60 miles per hour (96 kilometers per hour).

Note: MSRP prices are set to the United States. In Europe prices are considerably higher and in some countries can even be double the American price.[9]

Note: wet sump in all but GT3, GT3 RS, GT2 and Turbo versions which have a dry-sump, with an external oil reservoir and 7 pumps instead of only 3 in the less powerful versions. Porsche advertising incorrectly refers to wet-sump models as internal dry-sump. The system is just a baffled wet-sump which came about as a result of multiple engine failures in 996 models.

Second generation (2009-Present)

2009 Porsche 911 convertible (North America)

The 997 was revised in 2008 for the 2009 model year. The updated Porsche 911 (called 997 Gen II internally at Porsche[10]) included following changes:

A revised suspension

A revised front bumper with larger air intakes

Headlamps with newly optional dual HID projectors, a new LED taillamp shape, and LED turnsignals

Production began at late 2008. Pricing was increased from the 997, Gen I; the base Carrera model is set to start at US$ 76,300 for North American buyers.

Initially available models include coupe and cabriolet versions of Carrera, Carrera 4, Carrera S and Carrera 4S. The car was unveiled at the Paris Auto Show in September 2008.

On June 6, 2008, these changes to the Porsche 911 were revealed on the Porsche website. The Turbo will have to wait until the Frankfurt show in September, thereafter the Turbo-based GT2 will be updated.[14]

Targa (2009-present)

The updated Targa 4 and Targa 4S models were announced on the 28th of July 2008. The new Targa 4S has a top track speed of 185 mph and goes 0 to 60 in 4.7 seconds, while the Targa 4 is slower and has less mpg.[15]

Turbo/Turbo Cabriolet (2009-)

Red Porsche 997 Turbo Cabrio (2010).

The facelifted version of the 997 Turbo, was unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. It received a completely new 6-cylinder, 3.8 liter boxer engine delivering 500 hp (370 kW) with revised Borg-Warner variable turbine geometry (VTG) turbos. The 911 Turbo is now only available with a manual gearbox or the optional 7-speed PDK dual-clutch gearbox, which replaces the Tiptronic. With PDK and the also optional sport-chrono package, which includes the availability of a electronically controlled launch-control and an overboost-function for temporary increasing the turbo-pressure, Porsche claims the 911 turbo will go from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.4 seconds and reach a top-speed of 194 mph (312 km/h). However, several tests done by Auto-Magazines and unpartial testers have revealed that the 0-100 km/h acceleration-time is generally as low as 2.9 seconds. The model can now also be ordered with PTV, Porsche Torque Vectoring, which will brake the inner wheel to provide turning-torque through a curve. The looks of the facelifted model was left mostly untouched from the original 997 turbo, but there are subtle changes to the rear lights, now being LED-type, among changes to the front lamps. The rear exhaust outputs are now also "fatter" and the standard 19-inch (480 mm) wheels now have a new design. Thanks to revised dynamics the facelifted 997 can handle 1.3 g forces on a skid-pad according to Porsche. Its believed that the updated 997 Turbo was benchmarked against the Nissan GT-R in response to 3rd party testing between the 997 Turbo and the GT-R.

Models equipped with PDK also include an optional 3-spoke steering wheel with gearshift paddles as an alternative to the standard steering wheel with shift buttons.

Other optional equipment include Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV).

Production versions went on sale in Germany in November 2009. European models have MSRP of €122,400 for Coupé and €131,800 for the Cabriolet (before tax).[16]

Turbo S (2010-)

This higher spec Turbo was released at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2010. Available only with a 7-speed PDK transmission, the Turbo S boosts power by 30 hp (22 kW) to a total of 530 hp (395 kW) and an impressive torque of 700 Nm.[17] European deliveries are scheduled for May 2010.

GT3 (2010-)

Porsche 997 GT3 (2009)

The 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 was unveiled at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show,[14] available in Europe from May, in the US from October.[14]To make the GT3 safe for less experienced drivers, the stability control system is available[18] on the 2010 model year GT3 for the first time.[14] Changes to the exterior are only subtle still recognizable[14] bringing about aerodynamic improvements.[14] Total downforce has been doubled.[14] Power output rises from 415 to 429 hp (320 kW) with the new 3.8L engine.[14]

GT3 RS (2010-)

Porsche 997 GT3 RS (2009)

It is a version of GT3 with more engine power, lower weight and shorter transmission ratios, as well as upgraded body and suspension components, designed for homologating the race version of the 911 GT3. Engine was rated 450 PS (330 kW; 440 hp) with 8500 rpm redline. The "RS" stands for the German "RennSport", meaning "Racing Sport" in English.

The transmission has shorter ratios than found in the 911 GT3 for improved acceleration. Dynamic engine mounts are standard and serve to improve the car's handling to an even higher level. Other features include PASM suspension, a titanium crankshaft, a wider front and rear track and corresponding bodywork.

Optional equipment include lithium-ion battery, which is 10 kg (22 lb) lighter than stock lead-acid battery. The vehicle was unveiled in 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. US model was set to go on sale in early spring of 2010 with MSRP of $132,800US.[19]

Production vehicles went on sale in January 2010. European model had base MSRP of €169,300 (before tax).[22]

Top Gear featured it in season 15 episode 02 on July 4, 2010.

911 Carrera GTS (2011-)

911 Carrera GTS (2010)

For 2011, Porsche is making a new, mid-level 911 coming in above the Carrera and below the GT3. Ranging from $103,100 to $112,900 USD, the Carrera GTS is available as both a coupe and cabriolet, the car gets a wider body and track - the only Carrera with a wide track that is also rear wheel drive. The car also gets an upgraded 3.8-liter engine producing an impressive 408 horsepower (304 kW).[23]

911 Speedster (2011-)

911 Speedster (2010)

For 2011, Porsche will make a new 911 Speedster. They will only make 356; the production number coming from the iconic car of the 1950s. It will be the third 911 Speedster made, the other 2 being from the 930 and 964 generations. The Speedster is powered by the same engine in the Carrera GTS, and produces 408 horsepower (304 kW). It can go from 0-60 in 4.2 seconds, and will eventually reach a top speed of around 190 mph (310 km/h). Only 2 colors will be offered, Pure Blue (which was developed especially for the Speedster) and Carrara White.

The Speedster features a windscreen 70mm shorter than the standard 997 cabrio while maintaining the same rake angle.

GT3 Equipment (2009-)

It is a line of accessories for Type 997 models of the GT3 and GT3 RS developed by Porsche's Motorsport Division in Weissach, began sale in 2009-09 for all regions except China. Part choices include titanium double tailpipe, carbon rear spoiler lip (Gurney flap) and rear lid ram air scoop, carbon front above bumper air outlet and rear-view mirrors, forged aluminium 19-inch (480 mm) GT3 wheels with central locking.[24]

For first generation of the 911 GT3 and GT3 RS, there is also a model designation in various wheel colours extending round the wheel.

Marketing

In June 2009 Porsche Cars North America partnered with five New York City street artists to unveil five graffiti-decorated Porsche 911 hoods in the Helenbeck Gallery. The hoods were sold to raise funds for CITYarts, a New York City based organization whose mission is to bring children in contact with public artists.[25]